Now Official: Apple iPhone 16, Watches, and More!

Goodbye iPhone 15, it’s been a good run.

Time for some fresh hardware straight from Cupertino, California. Apple announced its entire iPhone 16 lineup a few hours ago, along with new accessories and the initial wave of Apple Intelligence features coming to town. And yes, there’s both incremental improvements as well as big leaps to be found in the lineup here too.

Anyway, there’s plenty of hardware and software to go through and we’ll definitely be doing follow-ups on these once we get them in-store. For now though, here’s all the latest updates regarding Apple’s latest smartphones and accessories straight from the event:

iPhone 16: Designed from the Ground-Up for Apple Intelligence

Right away, we noticed that things are looking a bit different at least in terms of physical appearance with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. It not only inherits the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action Button but also gets an additional one in the form of Camera Control which we’ll explore more later.

The rear cameras have also been rearranged at least a little, and they now sit vertically on a smaller pill-shaped bump on the back. The placement is supposedly done to help with capturing Spatial Images and Audio to be used in tandem with the new AirPods and of course, the Apple Vision Pro.

Other than that, overall proportions should be quite similar to the base iPhone 15. The standard model comes with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display while the iPhone 16 Plus is much bigger at 6.7-inches.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will be available in the standard White and Black as well as the new Ultramarine, Teal, and Pink color schemes.

Dual Cameras: Four Lenses in Your Pocket

As expected, the base iPhone 16 comes with two cameras. However, they are what Apple calls “Fusion Cameras”, with each lens capable of doubling as another one. For example, you get the 48MP main camera that can also be used as a 2x telephoto camera that takes 12MP shots. Same case with the 12MP ultrawide, which now doubles as a macro lens for extremely small subjects and details.

In tandem with these changes, iOS 18 will also introduce a redesigned Photos app, making for easier customization based on your image collections. Clean Up also arrives courtesy of Apple Intelligence, which pretty much functions like Magic Eraser; removing unwanted elements in your photos. There’s a wind denoiser for your videos too!

Apple’s iPhone 16 also offers new ways to control your camera via the aptly named Camera Control Button. It’s an added button supporting a number of gestures to make it easier to just capture a moment in time. A tactile click brings up the camera, while sliding your fingers on the button adjusts various settings like zoom. Kind of like a real camera.

Gaming and Performance: Powered by A18!

As far as phone performance in games and apps go, Apple’s definitely making some big promises.

Unlike its predecessor, the non-Pro iPhone 16 models are jumping two whole generations ahead as they launch with the newest A18 chip, rather than the A17 that’s in the iPhone 15 Pro. This chip features an advanced 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine for apps and machine learning workloads.

Compared to the previous A16, Apple claims the A18 to be 30% faster in CPU tasks while also being 30% more efficient. GPU tasks like gaming are said to be 40% faster, while also keeping the same efficiency gains. Apple’s also promised an improved thermal structure to help keep temperatures down, making it 30% more efficient in that area too. Lastly, there’s a bigger battery inside according to Apple but, no exact numbers to illustrate this just yet.

There’s hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which improves lighting while maintaining high frame rates. However, the iPhone 16 is still stuck with just 60Hz refresh rates in terms of its Super Retina XDR display.

AAA games are still supported of course, such as Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Resident Evil 7. The popular Honor of Kings World will also be making its way to the iPhone sometime next year.

The iPhone 16 will start at $799 for 128GB of storage. The iPhone 16 Plus on the other hand, will be starting at a slightly pricier $899 for 128GB.

The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro carries on the trend that its Pro predecessor has done such as its use of Apple’s ProMotion display which finally offers up to 120Hz Refresh Rates and its Grade 5 Titanium construction for improved durability and less weight. Both the 16 Pro models are a bit larger too, coming in at 6.3-inches for the iPhone 16 Pro and 6.9-inches for the Pro Max.

Both Pro Models will come with its own A18 Pro chipset, offering significant improvements in memory bandwidth and efficiency compared to the A17 Pro. It’s got a 6-core GPU too, promising better performance and raytracing in demanding games and tasks. There’s a new video encoder and image signal processor too, with Apple promising 2x faster video performance than the A17 Pro.

This is all backed by a better cooling architecture as well as a bigger battery compared to its predecessor, which all leads to around 20% improvements in sustained performance and battery efficiency, at least according to Apple. Better thermals too.

Pro Cameras, Audio, and Styles

Again, one of the main things setting Apple’s Pro models apart is with the camera system. It uses the same Fusion-style cameras as the base iPhone 16, with its 48MP main camera also supporting 2x telephoto shots. There’s a second generation quad-pixel sensor too and Apple promises zero shutter lag for ProRaw and HEIF shots because of this.

As for the other lenses, you’ve got a 48MP ultrawide sensor which also doubles as the lens for macro photography and of course, a 12MP telephoto camera capable of 5x optical zoom. It appears to be the exact same telephoto as the iPhone 15 Pro Max though.

There’s some machine learning stuff surrounding audio with the iPhone 16 Pro models too, alongside its improved microphones. Audio Mix for instance, helps identify background elements surrounding speech while shooting a video. Choosing In-Frame mix will isolate the voice of the person in the camera, removing other unnecessary voices while Cinematic Mix brings voices forward like a movie.

And yes, they all work with the line’s new Camera Control Button too, making the Pro models feel even more like compact cameras in your pocket.

The iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 for 128GB while the Pro Max starts at $1199 for 256GB of storage. It’s available in Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and a new Desert Titanium with a bronze-like hue.

A Quick Look at Apple intelligence

Given its use as a unique selling point for the phone, let’s look at some details regarding these new Apple Intelligence features first. It’s basically Apple’s own generative AI and expanded machine learning suite offering up a wide range of different functions to help make your phone use more convenient.

It honestly deserves an entire article on its own. Still we’ve got a quick summary of new tools here based on certain action categories Apple outlined durings its presentation:

• Express yourself - This is where the assorted writing tools come in, covering proofreading requests, cleaning up your drafts, and even creating new emojis based on your written description.

• Relive memories - There’s a function that’s similar to the new Pixel screenshots, making it easier to locate old pictures by simply providing a written description.

• Prioritize and Focus - Get a much better overview of your inbox and notifications as iOS 18 serves up AI-powered summaries of the email rather than just seeing the first line of the text.

• Get things done - Basically an improved Siri. You now get the option to just type your instructions if you wish to be discrete, and there’s even some new guidance designed to help those switching to Apple for the first time.

Satellite capabilities have been expanded too, including features like Messages via Satellite, Find My via Satellite, Roadside Assistance, and Emergency SOS. Not as relevant for us Philippine customers just yet though; these features are coming to US and Canada first, and there’s no concrete release for other countries just yet.

For stronger AI tasks, there’s Private Cloud Compute, which helps keep your iPhone and data secure as you tap into Apple’s own servers for heavier tasks. Apple, of course, guarantees that no personal data of yours is stored with them in the process.

Check out the latest iPhone, Macbooks, and accessories at our dedicated Apple collection here!

The Apple Watch Series 10: Bigger Display; Thinner Design

Apple technically opened with its new Apple Watch Series 10, showing off a new design that boasts a bigger display (slightly bigger than the Ultra 2 even) and a thinner form factor, thanks to its redesigned speakers and chassis. The display’s brightness has been bumped up, making it easier to view information when looking at it from an angle and there’s even a new “Flux” watch face that perfectly complements its new colorways.

Inside the watch is Apple’s new S10 chip, which should power all of its smart features like Double Tap, On-device Siri assistance, and automatic detection like Fall Detection. The ‘Translate’ app also comes to Series 10, offering real time assistance with unfamiliar languages.

Sensors have been improved of course and Apple now claims that the Series 10 can now help detect sleep apnea by monitoring breathing disturbances as you sleep. The feature will supposedly make its way to older Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches as well.

The Apple Watch Series 10 comes in two main materials. You can opt for the standard Aluminum case which is available in Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver Aluminum colors. On the other hand, the more metallic-looking Titanium Series 10 comes in its Natural, Gold, and Slate Gray colors. It starts at $399 for the base GPS only model and $499 for one with Cellular capabilities.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is Back in Smooth, Satin Black

Despite that, Apple seems to make it clear that anyone involved in heavier activities are still best served by the Apple Watch Ultra. It’s got a longer battery life and more rugged design that makes it perfect for cyclists, swimmers, hikers, runners…basically anyone who does physical activities on a daily basis.

There’s a new ‘Training Load’ feature which is helpful in notifying users when to really push during their workout and when to set some time for recovery.

Other than that, there’s not much new for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 other than its new Satin Black colorway which does look really smooth and elegant on the wrist. There’s also a new Titanium Milanese Loop in both a matching Black and Natural colorway, partially inspired by scuba diving designs. It also announced new colors for its Ocean Band, Trail Loop, and Alpine Loop options.

It starts at $799, with both GPS and Cellular capabilities already included.

Apple AirPods 4; now with Active Noise Cancellation!

Likewise there’s two new AirPods announced for the event in the form of the Apple AirPods 4; which comes in two variants. In terms of the broad strokes though, you get improved audio and machine learning capabilities, a more compact charging case, and an advanced H2 chip that powers all of their new features.

There’s an improvement to hands-free calling in terms of gesture controls as you can now just nod for yes and shake your head for no when it comes to Siri’s announcements and updates. Additionally, the buds will automatically turn down background noise whenever you enter a call.

All of that is available in the base AirPods 4, which starts at $129. There’s a second model though that features Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Audio technology that starts at $179. In addition to the improved sound experience, this other variant also brings Conversation Awareness, which automatically turns down the volume of your playback as soon as you start talking to someone. Very convenient.

New Health Features for AirPods Pro 2; New Colors for AirPods Max

In addition to the AirPods 4, Apple has also announced a number of updates and new features to the AirPods Pro 2; all centered on overall hearing health and experience. Divided into ‘Prevention, Awareness, and Assistance’ categories, these new updates will supposedly work with iOS 18 in order to deliver the following features:

• Hearing Protection - As part of its role under ‘Prevention’, this feature will be on by default and will feature passive noise reduction when moving around noisy areas.

• Hearing Test - This feature will help with its ‘Awareness’ goals. It’s a simple, clinically-designed hearing test that can assess how well you can perceive sounds around you. Results are kept secure in the health app.

• Hearing Aid - Working in conjunction with its hearing test, the Pro can now double as a hearing aid for those who need it as part of its ‘Assistance’ goals, helping boost up surrounding audio in order to deliver a clearer experience.

Additionally, there’s new colors announced for the AirPods Max, for anyone interested in the more immersive, over-ear design and it still starts at $549. Oh, all of them will be coming with USB-C charging now.

New MagSafe Cases and Chargers

Aside from all those new devices, there’s only a few more updates regarding MagSafe accessories. There’s new clear and silicone cases for the whole iPhone 16 lineup; all designed to work with the new Camera Control Buttons. There’s a new MagSafe charger too, with supposedly faster speeds though no concrete details about it yet.

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